Lighting fixture



Dec. 18, 1962 D. R. DAYTON ETAL LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed Jan. 29, 1960 DAVID R. DAYTON ALBERT J. MICHAUD ARMAND J. VISCOSI INVENTORS W a ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,069,537 Patented Dec. 18, 1962 3,069,537 LIGHTING FIXTURE David R. Dayton, Beverly, Albert J. Michaud, Salem, and

Armond J. Viscosi, Methuen, Mass, assignors to Sylvania Electric Products Inc, a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 29, 1960, Ser. No. 5,590 6 Claims. (CI. 240-5111) This invention relates to lighting fixtures and more particularly to lighting fixtures designed primarily for outdoor installations.

In the design and manufacture of lighting fixtures for outdoor installations, a number of problems are confronted which normally do not arise in the design and manufacture of lightIng fixtures for indoor use. Not the least of these problems is the protection of the lighting unit from the weather and other environmental conditions. Ways and means for solving these problems have been developed. However, it is significant to note that these solutions usually involve the use of structural components which are both expensive and cumbersome. In addition thereto, maintenance has been both difiicult and expensive.

In view of the foregoing, one of the principal objects of this invention is to provide an outdoor lighting fixture which is compact and relatively inexpensive.

Another object of this invention is to provide an outdoor lighting fixture, the structural components of which readily lend themselves to mass production and assembly.

A further object of this invention is to provide an outdoor lighting fixture, the structural components of which are associated with one another in such a way that maintenance may be effected efficiently and easily.

Further objects, advantages and features will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the description below of a specific embodiment of the invention.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, the fixture comprises two main components, a base member or housing and a cover member, joined along one pair of mating longitudinal edges by a pinless hinge arrangement which facilitates both opening of the cover as well as its removal. The base member is preferably an extruded aluminum piece, the outer face thereof being provided with means whereby electrical control apparatus may be attached thereto. The inner face of the base member is shaped to receive a readily insertable and readily removable reflector.

In the specific embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, FIGURE 1 is a front perspective View of the fixture with the hinged cover thereof opened somewhat beyondthe normal open position for clarity of illustration.

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view of the fixture of FIGURE 1, taken along the line 2-2 of FIGURE 1, with the cover thereof shown in the closed, opened and removed positions, the latter two positions being illustr'ated in phantom.

FIGURE 3 is an end edge detail of the base member with the reflector seated therein. The reflector is illustrated in phantom in the position it is caused to assume during insertion thereof into the base member.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary detail showing the relative disposition of the mating ends of the cover member and the base member when the cover is in the clo;ed, open and removal positions.

Referring now to the drawing, particularly FIGURES 1 and 2 thereof, the fixture comprises a housing 2 having a reflector 4, a cover 6 and a lamp 8 mounted within the enclosure defined by the housing 2 and the cover 6. Because of the economy and speed with which it can be produced, the housing 2 is preferably an extruded memher of aluminum, an aluminum alloy or some similar material which is non-corrosive and serviceable under a variety of adverse weather conditions. The cover 6, which is preferably, but not necessarilyv of the same material as the housing 2, is provided with a pair of channels 10 extending longitudinally thereof and parallel to one another. A readily insertable and removable window 12 is seated in the cover within the channels 10. The lamp 8 is a linear light source, such as, for ex ample, the fluorescent lamp shown in the co-pending application of J. F. Waymouth et al., Serial No. 742,928, filed June 18, 1958, now Patent No. 2,961,566, issued November 22, 1960, the electrode assembly of which is shown in FIGURE 2 and identified by the reference number 9. The lamp 8 may also be of the aperture type, i.e., provided with a longitudinally extending segment 11 (FIG. 2) free of fluorescent coating as shown and described in detail in the co-pending application of D. E. Spencer et al., Serial No. 825,915, filed July 9, 1959. The housing 2 is provided with several bosses 14 at each end thereof, such as boss 14 in FIGURE 2 for example, to permit attachment thereto of end plates 16 by means of screws 18 or the like. Each end plate 16 is provided with a pair of screened vents 20 to admit air into and to exclude insects, etc. from the enclosure defined by the housing, cover and end plates.

As was mentioned above, the housing 2 and the cover 6 are joined along one pair of mating longitudinal edges by a pinless hinge arrangement. The mating longitudinal edge of the housing 2 is a channel 22 having an inwardly turned lip 23. The mating longitudinal edge of the cover 6 comprises a hooked end 24 and a cooperating laterally extending flange 26. As will be noted from an examination of FIGURES 2 and 4 wherein this arrangement is illustrated, in the closed position as shown in solid in FIGURE 2 the mating parts interlock as shown in FIGURE 4A. In the open position, the mating parts interlock as shown in FIGURE 4B and the cover assumes the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 2 as 60. In the position for removal of the cover, the mating parts disengage as shown in FIGURE 4C and the cover assumes the position shown in phantom in FIGURE 2 as 6b.

When the cover is in the closed position with respect to the housing, the mating interlocking longitudinal edges are, as described above, in the position shown in FIG, URE 2 and FIGURE 4A. The other pair of edges overlap as shown in FIGURE 2 and are drawn tightly closed by two or more suitable latch assemblies spaced along the top of the fixture. One of these latch assemblies is shown in FIGURE 2. It comprises a catch 28 attached to the cover 6 and a cooperating hook 30 slidably disposed in a latch casing 32. The hook 30 is connected to an operating lever 31 through a torsion spring 34. A water-tight seal is obtained by providing the cover 6 with an internal, longitudinally extending flange 36 which is drawn up tightly against a strip of resilient insulating material 38 attached to the adjacent longitudinal edge of the housing 2. Additional water-tight scaling is obtained by providing flanges on the inside face of the end plates with strips of insulating material 40, as shown in FIGURES l and 2. V

The lamp 8 is supported at each end in a lampholde'r 42 which is mounted on a bracket 44 attached to the housing 2. A pair of wires 46 are connected to the lampholder 42 shown in FIGURE 2. Another pair of wires 48 extend along a wireway, formed in the housing 2, to a corresponding lampholder at the other end of the fixture. The wires 48 are retained in the wireway by a plurality of resilient clips 50 which snap onto the housing. The inside face of these clips are preferably provided with a facing of resilient insulating material 52.

A nipple 54, fitted in an aperture provided therefor in the housing 2, provides means through which the pairs of wires 46 and 48 pass from inside the fixture, through a cable 56 and into an electrical control apparatus container 58. Cable 60 connetcts the electrical control apparatus in container 58 to a suitable source of electrical energy.

One of the features of the fixture of this invention is the relationship of the electrical control apparatus container 58 to the housing 2. Usually a fixture housing is fabricated in such a manner that a container for the electrical control apparatus is for-med integral therewith, in which case each housing is designed to accommodate control apparatus of a particular size and shape. Thus there is no opportunity for flexibility of design; each housing has its own control apparatus and can accommodate no other. However, such is not the case here. In the fixture of this invention, the outer face of the housing 2 is provided with a pair of parallel, spaced, longitudinally extending ribs 62, between which container 58 may be seated. The container 58 is securely retained in position by clamps 64, the body of each of which forms a strap around the container and the transverse edges of which interlock with the ribs 62. Thus the housing of the fixture of this invention may be used with electrical control apparatus containers which vary considerably in length and height and the container may be aflixed to the housing at any position along the longitudinal axis thereof. The ribs 62 also provide mounting means for the entire fixture, two or more mounting brackets, not shown, being readily attachable to the ribs, interlocking therewith similarly to the interlocking therewith of the clamps 64. Thus the elongated ribs 62 also provide great flexibility in the mounting of these fixtures since the mounting brackets may be attached to the ribs at any position along the entire length thereof.

Another feature of this invention is the reflector 4-. Usually, in fluorescetnt lighting fixtures, the reflector is an expensive major physical component of the fixture, made of substantially the same material and provided with a coating or finish of light-reflecting material. In accordance with recommended lighting practice, the reflector should be cleaned periodically. In the case of outdoor lighting fixtures, weathering of the reflector is an important maintenance problem. As a matter of fact, it is not uncommon for the practical useful life of the reflector to be expended long before the remainder of the fixture has outlived its usefulness; and yet when this happens, the entire fixture must be replaced. In the fixture of this invention, the reflector is a readily replaceable, relatively inexpensive component. As noted above, the housing 2 is preferably extruded, and shaped to the contour desired for the reflector. The inside face of the housing '2 is provided with a pocket bounded on opposite sides by a longitudinally extending slotted rib 66 (FIGURES 2 and 3) and a cooperating longitudinally extending rig 68. A resilient reflector 4 is positioned as shown in phantom in FIGURE 3 and snapped into position into the pocket as shown in solid in this same figure as well as in FIGURE 2, one of the longitudinal edges thereof lying within the slotted rib 66 and the other abutting the rib 68. In the specific embodiment of the invention, the reflector 4 is metallized aluminum Mylar bonded to a resilient plastic base laminate. Although Mylar, a polyester film, is preferred as the transparent film on which the aluminum reflective coating is deposited, any similar film may be used satisfactorily. For best results, the transparent film should have substantially the same index of refraction as glass and have a high resistivity to discoloration from ultra-violet light. Similarly, the base laminate may be made of a number of different materials, such as for example, aluminum, sheet steel, paper products, etc., the essential requirements being that it be resilient and capable of having a metallized transparent film bonded thereto. One of the big advantages of a reflector of this type is that the refiective coating is disposed between the base laminate and the transparent film and thus is fully protected at all times from corrosion, weathering, etc.

What we claim is:

1. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongated, curved housing, one face thereof having a substantially parabolic surface and provided with a pocket bordered by opposed longitudinal ribs; a curved cover, said cover in combination with said housing defining an enclosure; a linear light source mounted in said enclosure; an elongated flexible sheet insert of light-reflecting material disposed in said pocket against said parabolic surface of said housing and in light-receiving relationship with respect to said light source, said sheet insert in unflexed form being of a width greater than the space between the rib-s and when seated against the parabolic surface engaging the ribs; and a window in said cover in light-transmitting relationship with respect to said sheet insert of light-reflecting material.

2. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongated, curved housing, one face thereof having a. substantially parabolic surface and provided with a pocket bordered by opposing longitudinal ribs one of which is slotted; a curved cover, said cover in combination with said housing defining an enclosure; a linear light source mounted in said enclosure; an elongated flexible sheet insert of light-reflecting material of an unflexed width greater than the spacing between the ribs and disposed in contact with said parabolic surface or" said housing, said insert lying with one edge within the slotted portion of one rib and with the opposing edge engaging the other rib and in light-receiving relationship with respect to said light source; and a window in said cover in light-transmitting relationship with respect to said sheet insert of light-reflecting material.

3. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongated, curved housing, one face thereof having a substantially parabolic surface and provided with a pocket bordered by opposed longitudinal ribs; a curved cover, said cover in combination with said housing defining an enclosure; a linear light source mounted in said enclosure; an elongated flexible sheet insert of light-reflecting material disposed in said pocket against said parabolic surface of said housing and in light-receiving relationship with respect to said light source, said sheet insert in unflexed form being of a width greater than the space between the ribs and when seated against the parabolic surface engaging the ribs, said sheet insert of light-reflecting material comprising a metallized aluminum transparent film bonded to a fesilient base laminate; and a window in said cover in lighttransmitting relationship with respect to said sheet insert of light-reflecting material.

4. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongated, curved housing, one face thereof having a substantially parabolic surface and provided with a pocket bordered by opposed longitudinal ribs; electrical control apparatus mounted on the other face of said housing; a curved cover, said cover in combination with said housing defining an enclosure; a linear light source mounted in said enclosure; means for connecting said electrical control apparatus to said light source; an elongated flexible sheet insert of lightreflecting material disposed in said pocket against said parabolic surface of said housing and in light-receiving relationship with respect to said light source, said sheet insert in unflexed form being of a width greater than the space btween the ribs and when seated against the parabolic surface engaging the ribs; and a window in said cover in light-transmitting relationship with respect to said sheet insert of light-reflecting material.

5. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongated, curved housing, one face thereof having a substantially parabolic surface and provided with a pocket bordered by opposed longitudinal ribs; a pair of spaced, longitudinally extending ribs on the other face of said housing; electrical control apparatus disposed between said ribs and attached thereto; a curved cover, said cover in combination with said housing defining an enclosure; a linear light source mounted in said enclosure; means for connecting said electrical control apparatus to said light source; an elongated fiexible sheet insert of light reflecting material disposed in said pocket against said parabolic surface of said housing and in light-receiving relationship with respect to said light source, said sheet insert in unflexed form being of a width greater than the space between the ribs and when seated against the parabolic surface engaging the ribs; and a window in said cover in lighttransmitting relationship with respect to said sheet insert of light-reflecting material.

6. A lighting fixture comprising: an elongated, curved housing, one face thereof having a substantially parabolic surface and provided with a pocket bordered by opposed longitudinal ribs; a curved, extruded cover having a window frame formed integral therewith, said cover in combination with said housing defining an enclosure; a linear light source mounted in said enclosure; an elongated,

flexible sheet insert of light-reflecting material disposed in said pocket against said parabolic surface of said housing and in light-receiving relationship With respect to said light source, said sheet insert in unflexed form being of a width greater than the space between the ribs and when seated against the parabolic surface engaging the ribs; and a window in said frame in light-transmitting relationship with respect to said sheet insert of lightrefiecting material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 683,164 Wideen Sept. 24, 1901 860,036 Kerby July 16, 1907 2,375,669 McKinney May 8, 1945 2,610,289 Brainerd Sept. 9, 1952 2,825,798 Zingone Mar. 4, 1958 2,916,609 Barchman et al Dec. 8, 1959 2,923,429 Schneider Feb. 2, 1960 

